Imphal, August 22 2010: The United Naga Council (UNC) has taken very strong exception to the statement made by Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram in the Lok Sabha on August 19, that there was " no question of altering the integrity of the State of Manipur" .

As for the Nagas in Manipur, the UNC declared that P Chidambaram does not have the final say on the Nagas and their future.

It is for the Nagas in Manipur to decide their future and it would be done by severance of all ties with the Manipur Government, a press release of the UNC asserted today.

The UNC said, while the Government of India(GoI) is free to use its options in governing the country by taking into account the consequences, its actions must be fair, rational and accompanied with due protocol.

The GoI cannot be wrong and as Chidambaram represented the GoI in the Lok Sabha, he must bear full responsibility and liability for his statement.

The UNC further said in its press release that the ceasefire declaration and the Indo Naga peace talks are being held at the Prime Minister's level, in a third country, and without pre-conditions.

It said, the principles of the three point guidelines have not been negated with a ceasefire call off or withdrawal from the peace talk by any of the parties.

The peace talks have been going on for the last 13 years for all the world to see.

Therefore Chidambaram must bear full responsibility for imposing the condition of the territorial integrity of Manipur on the peace talk.

Stating that the prestige and sincerity of the GoI has been put to question by Chidambaram's statement, the UNC asked if the GoI has been fooling the Naga people and the whole world all these years.

"Is it now being made clear that the GOI never intended to keep its word right from the beginning as far as peace talks are concerned?" the UNC asked.

It said, Article 3 and 4 of the Indian Constitution provides for increasing or altering the boundary of any state.

Although admitting that Nagas are there in Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Chidambaram has gone against the Constitution by unilaterally declaring that it will "be inconceivable that we break up the states" .

Reminding that India is a democracy of the people, by the people and for the people, the UNC said, it is undesirable that the Indian Home Minister, P Chidambaram made a mockery of this basic democratic principle.

Such statement only provokes and stirs violence and exposes the discrimination and insincerity towards the Nagas and the hill tribes of Manipur.

The Indian Home Minister characterizes an ideology which is hell-bent on legalizing 'might is right.' This conceited attitude and power-mongering politics has been the cornerstone of Indian politicians towards the North East.

Chidambaram has undone all efforts to build understanding between the Nagas and the Indian government; and with one swipe, he has caused more alienation and mistrust, the UNC lamented.

It said, Manipur, a state that acquired full state status on January 21, 1972 may be pluralistic in demography, but is communal in structure and oppressive in character.

This dogma is what Chidambaram wants to protect, at the cost of the rights and dignity of the hill tribes of Manipur.

The Meiteis have been our neighbours in the past and will continue to be our neighbors in the future.

What Chidambaram must understand is that Nagas are not trying to break up Manipur state.

The Nagas of Manipur just simply do not want to be part of a state that is built on an ideology of force, communalism and oppression, the UNC said.

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